100th Post: WWE: A New Hope

This is my 100th post on Jimmo's Angle and is inspired by a text I just got from a mate of mine. It simply said that the WWE has a "new feel" in the last few days. That's exactly how I feel and it was refreshing to hear this from a friend that is usually quite negative about the recent past of WWE. He's been justified at times but now it does seems like a new chapter; something that we can be proud of and really get excited by.

As I've recently said in a few of the posts that I've done, the future is looking brighter than ever. It's a theme I try and run with in a lot of my posts as it's very important to me that the WWE continues to be number one, but also doesn't just rest on its laurels. That's something that it can be accused of in the last few years.

After the screwing: new heels Triple H & Randy Orton

The Orton and Triple H turns at Summerslam are the types of things that I crave and long for. Something to get my teeth into and believe in. Something where I can get behind a true babyface and hate a true villain. Credit where credit is due to John Cena in the last month - he has made Daniel Bryan a believable threat to his title and did what was needed to get Bryan to the 'next level'. Unfortunately for John, the time off he's about to get is well overdue - as most occasions for him usually are. Also, he never gets the 100% backing of any audience. Daniel Bryan, on the other hand, does. This is, possibly, the most important factor to this 'new feel' that WWE has. And it's something that we, the audience, haven't experienced for as long as I can remember - the number one face is someone that the fan's want to succeed; does anyone remember what that feels like?

We finally have ourselves a situation where the chasing babyface is someone that everyone wants to succeed and get the bad guy, and the championship. Bryan's popularity has gone from strength-to-strength in the last few months and it's something that WWE have desperately needed for so long. Many might feel that CM Punk was that guy but he is a popular cool-heely-face, NOT a 100% face. Daniel Bryan is someone that all demographics can support and maybe, just maybe, this could be the start of someone else being the 'face of the company'.

Daniel Bryan's glory was cut short...

What I mean by this is that Daniel Bryan has the potential to be the guy. As crazy a statement as that is, with Cena injured for the next four-to-six months, that leaves Bryan and Punk as the top two faces in the WWE at the moment. This is an opportunity. An opportunity to get behind the remaining two, or at least Bryan, and rocket him to Superstardom - after all, Bryan is a 'wrestler' and would surely commit to the WWE, as Cena has done for the last decade, if made the number one guy.

I'm an Attitude Era kid, but not someone who craves the return of that era. I do, however, want the passion, effort and storytelling from that era to return. I don't care what anyone says: that era was must-see TV. The events of Summerslam and Raw last night have opened up a new door to the possibility that we could have that type of enthralling TV back again.

Part of the reason for this feeling I have is because there seems a very similar feel to the storyline from back then - the evil boss doing whatever it takes to stop the 'unworthy', ultra-popular hero becoming what he rightfully deserves to be; the champion. Back in 1998, Stone Cold Steve Austin was that very guy; although he was the anti-hero (more similar to Punk than Bryan), he was still the fan's choice. Daniel Bryan has that role now, but in our PG-era, he fits the role perfectly for the time we live in. The 'Mr. McMahon' role is played by Triple H (flanked by Vince, himself, and Stephanie), and the new 'Corporate' Champion is the previously hugely-underutilised Randy Orton.

The new Corporation? Vince, Orton, Hunter & Stephanie (a la Survivor Series 1998)

Orton has been doing nothing for at least the last year, probably longer. As predictable as his cash-in was, it was also genius. By beating an exhausted, deserving new champion in Bryan he instantly became the number one villain. Triple H turning heel and aligning with him added fuel to the fire that was already going to be molten-hot. On Raw, their justification of the screwing at Summerslam was a perfect example of a heel-believing-in-his-own-crap. We now have the ultra-popular hero, Daniel Bryan, chasing the dangerous, corporate-backed, 'chosen one' Randy Orton. The very essence of Good vs Evil. The very reason we watch wrestling and suspend our beliefs.

This is an exciting time to be a wrestling fan. Not only for the potentially great storyline that I've outlined above but for many other reasons, too.

With the injuries to John Cena and Sheamus, I hope that Dolph Ziggler gets the nod to chase Orton, too. He seems to have been brought into the mix by having his tweet (about Triple H's deceit) aired and was punished for this. Big Show was also punished for his thoughts; I love that the boss has set a precedent and will attack anyone that speaks against him. Both guys' punishments were handled by The Shield, who could take on a new role of 'hired guns' for the McMahons and Hunter. This would be something new for them, elevate them (again), and add numbers to the new heel boss' cause.

I know it's early days for this but it's created a buzz around the IWC. I just hope that WWE doesn't, as my friend also text me, "drop the ball" on this one. WWE television has been great in the last few months; something I didn't think would happen, so I hope that they continue to raise-the-bar and surprise us further with quality TV and unpredictable storylines that keep us hooked for the rest of the year.

@jimmosangle